Automatic water-heater.



1. E. OSMER.

7 AUTOMATIC WATER HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I5, I910.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

i allnlll lvlrllllllltd THE NORRIS PETERS cn.. F'HO70-LITHO. WASHINGTQN,n. c.

JOHN E. OSMEB, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 I-IUMPHREY COMPANY, OF

KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATIC WATER-HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

Application filed August 15, 1910. Serial No. 577,268.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN E. OSMER, a. citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic VVater-Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic water heaters in which the supply offuel to the heater is varied in accordance with the temperature of thewater therein.

The object of the invention, generally speaking, is to improve the valvemechanism with a view to greater simplicity and durability.

A specific object is to produce a water valve of novel construction.

Another object is to provide an improved connection between the watervalve and the.

fuel valve.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the invention isbetter understood from the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view, partly insection, of an automatic water heating system embodying the features ofmy invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional detail view of a thermostatcomprised in the apparatus.

The heater proper may be of any desired construction and comprises, inthe present instance, a casing 1 having a series of water pipe coils 2therein arranged to be heated by means of a plurality of gas burners 3in the lower portion of the casing 1. 4: indicates openings in the lowerportion of the casing 1 to admit air to the burners 3. The water pipecoils 2 are connected with the water supply pipe 5 through the medium ofa pipe 6. and a water valve casing 7 comprising the upper cylindricalsection 7" and the lower section 7*, said casing having a piston 8slidable therein. The piston 8 fits snugly in its casing 7, but a slightamount of leakage occurs around the piston from the space below saidpiston to the space above it. The amount of clearance inclicated in Fig.1 is much exaggerated for the sake of clearness. The water supply pipe 5connected with the city main, or any other suitable source of supply ofwater under pressure, communicates with the casing 7, in this instance,below the piston 8. A. valve 9 controls communication between the lowerportion of the casing 7 and a chamber 10 at the under side of saidcasing, from which chamber the pipe 6 conducts the cold water to one ofthe water coils 2, preferably the upper one of the series. The valve 9is connected to the piston 8 by lugs 11 on the valve and piston, saidlugs being secured together. A port 9 formed through the valve 9connects the chamber 10 with the lower portion of the casing 7 for apurpose to appear hereinafter. Through said port the water in the heater1 and in the chamber 25, even in case of leakage, is always under citywater pressure. The outlet end of the water coils 2 in the presentembodiment is connected through the medium of a pipe 12 with the lowerend of a thermostat 13, the upper end of the thermostat communicatingthrough means to be presently described with the upper end of the valvecasing7. The thermostat 13 may, if desired, be supported upon a bracket14 fixed to or integral with the casing 7. Said thermostat in thisinstance comprises an outer tube 15 an inner tube 15 and an expansionrod 16 movably mounted within said inner tube. The lower ends of thetubes 15 and 15 are supported and the outer tube 15 is closed by meansof a hollow head 17 having a nipple 18 thereon with which the pipe 12 isconnected. Said head is connected with the interior of the outer tube 15by a suitable number of ports 19. The upper ends of the tubes 14: and 15are closed by means of a head 20 having a cavity 21 therein, said cavitybeing connected with the interior of the outer tube 15 through aplurality of ports 22. The expansion rod 16 extends freely through anopening 23 formed in the lower head 17, and is supported upon a lever tobe later described. The upper and lower heads 20 and 17 may be securedtogether by means of bolts.2 l.

Upon the upper end of the water valve casing 7 is a chamber 25, theupper end of which is closed, in this instance, by the head- 20, apassage 26 in said head connecting the cavity 21 with the interior ofsaid chamber 25. A valve 27 arranged to seat in port 27 controlscommunication between the chamber 25 and the portion'of the casing 7above the piston 8. Said valve has a guide stem 28 arranged to beengaged and moved by the piston 8 to open the valve 27.

ing 38.

In order to regulate the distance to which the valve 27 may be opened, Imay provide means such as a screw 34 threaded in the head 20 and adaptedto be engaged by the,

valve 27 in its upward movement. The

outer end ofthe screw 34 may be, covered by means such as a cap 35threaded upon a boss 36 on the upper side of the head 20. It will beseen that by regulating the distance which the valve 27 may open, therate of flow of water through the heater, and there by the temperatureof the water, may be controlled, because the more slowly the water flowsthrough the heater, the more heat it will absorb in its passage. Byturn-V ing the screw 34 upward suflicient'ly the valve 27 is permittedto rise far enough to bring; the lower end of it's stem 28 flush withthe downwardly extending flange of the port 27". Then the elevation ofpiston 8' is limited by engagement with port 27, this engagement beingpractically water tight.

Gas or other'fuel issupplied tothe burners 3 by means of a, pipe 37which communicates with a valve casing 38 having a valve member 39therein, adapted to control the passage of gas through the valve. Theopposite side of said valve casing com munio'ates with the burners3through-a pipe 40. 41 is a coiled spring tending to hold thelvalve 39closed. The valve 39-is arranged to be controlled by the thermostat 13through the medium of suit'abledev-ices such as a number of levers 42,one of which'leverssupportsand is adapted to be swung downward by. theexpansion rod 1.6 of the thermostat, a.ndianother of whichleve'rs isarranged torengage the valve stem= 39 of thevalve member-'39. Anadjusting. screw 43 mounted in one of the levers 42 provides means forregulating the movement ofthe valve member 39. As shown, the valve-stem39*pref-j er'ablyextends entirely through the cas- When the hot waterpassing throughthe thermostat 13 reaches a predetermined temperature,the expansion -rod 16 will be lengthened sufficiently to seat the valvemember 39 through the mediumof the levers' 42 so as to cut off thesupply of gas to burners 3. A branch pipe'44 communicat,

ing with the-gas supply .pipe'37 is adapted.

to conduct gas at all times to a pilot burner 45:

1 A supporting: member, in this instance in;

the form of a bar 46, is attached at its upper end to the water valvecasing 7 and has a 7 other end to the valve member 9. One end of thelever 49 is arranged to engage the, 1

lower end of the fuel valve stem 39 for opening the valve 39. The otherend of said leveris arranged tobe yieldingly helddown by any suitablemeans such as a weight '50 or a'coiled spring 51 surroundingthe bar '46and bearing at its ends against the lever 49" and a pin 52 fixed in thebar 46. A screw 53 adjustably carried by the" lever 49 is arranged tostrike against the fuelvalve cas-' ing 38 for the purpose of limitingthe extent to which the fuel valve 39 may be opened.

Aswill be seen, the lever 49, bar 46 and link 50 constitute a lostmotion connection between the water inlet valve39.

I Assuming the entire apparatus to be filled with water, the operationis as follows} When water is drawn ofl from the house piping system, asfor instance, through the faucet 33, the pressure in the upper portionof the casing 7 is lowered and the piston 8 is therefore forced upwardlyagainst the action of the coiled spring 30 by the city waterlpressure inthe lower half of the casing. In its upward movement the piston 8 opensthe valve 27 to admit hot water from the heating. coils 2 to the valvecasing 7. The piston 8also raises the valve member 9 to, permit the flowof water from the lower portion of the casin'g7 to the heating coils. Inits upward movement thevalve member 9, through the medium of the link 50and lever 49, raises the valve'member 39 to allow the passage of gasthrough the pipes 37 and 40 tothe burners 3 so that the cold waterflowing into the coils 2will be heated.

1111 case the water in the thermostat is at a temperature such that theexpansion rod 16 is. holding the-gas valve 39 closed, if a small amountof water be drawn offfrom the faucet 33, the upward movement of thepiston 8 andEEvalve member 9 will not be effective in opening the gasvalve 39, but will raise the lever 49 with the valve casing 38' as afulcrum,fsaidlever moving against the action of theweight 50 and spring51. When thefaucet 33 is again closed the pressures in opposite sides ofthe casing 7 become equal and the; spring 30 forces the piston 8downwardly far enough to permit the valve 27 to seat. In' the furtherdownward movement of the piston to close. the cold water inlet valve 9,water gradually leaks aroundthe periphery] of the piston 8 into theupper portion of the casing 7 so as to permit the piston 8 to'descend.The closing of the valve'9 carriesthe' lever 49'into posivalve 9 and;the gas tion to permit the gas valve 39 to be closed by its spring 41 sothat the supply of gas to the burners 3 will be shut off.

If for any reason the gas valve 89 should not be closed either by itsspring 41 or the thermostat 13, the pressure of the hot water or steamwithin the heater, if it becomes greater than the city water pressure,wlll force water back through the port 9 1n the cold water valve 9 intothe casing 7 to relieve the pressure in the heater.

I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the details ofconstruction herein shown and described, as various modifications withinthe scope of my invention will occur to those skilled in the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination, with a water heater, of a valve casing communicatingtherewith; a piston slidably mounted in said casing; said casing havingan inlet and an outlet for cold water at one side of said piston; saidcasing having an inlet and an outlet for hot water at the opposite sideof said piston; valves controlling certain of said inlets and outlets,said valves being operable by said piston; a fuel valve; and aconnection between one of the first mentioned valves and said fuelvalve.

2. The combination with a water heater, of valve mechanism comprising acasing; a piston slidably mounted in said casing, said casing having anentrance for cold water at one side of said piston, the casing at saidside of the piston communicating with said heater, said casing having ahot water outlet at the opposite side of said piston; and a conductorbetween the heater and the hot water side of said casing including avalve, said valve being adapted to be opened by said piston.

8. The combination, with a water heater, of a fuel valve having anoppositely eX- tending valve stem; a spring tending to close said valve;a thermostat; means positioned between said thermostat and one end ofsaid valve stem arranged to communicate motion of said thermostat tosaid stem for closing the fuel valve; a water-inlet valve; a lever; alink connecting said lever between its ends to said water inlet valve,one end of said lever being arranged to engage the opposite end of saidfuel valve stem for opening the fuel valve; and means tending to movethe opposite end of said lever in the direction away from saidwater-inlet valve.

4. The combination, with a water heater, of valve mechanismcommunicating therewith, said mechanism comprising a casing; a pistonslidably mounted in said casing, said casing having an inlet and anoutlet for cold water at one side of said piston, and having an inletand an outlet for hot water at the opposite side of said piston; a valvearranged to control communication between said cold water inlet andoutlet; and a valve controlling communication between said hot waterinlet and outlet, said valves being operable by said piston.

5. The combination with a water heater, ofvalve mechanism comprising acasing; a piston slidably mounted in said casing; said casing having anentrance for cold water at one side of said piston; a chamber adjacentthe casing at said side of the piston; said chamber communicating withsaid heater; a valve connected with said piston and controllingcommunication between said chamber and the casing; said casing having ahot water outlet at the opposite side of said piston; a chamber on saidcasing adjacentsaid hot water outlet, the last mentioned chambercommunicating with said heater; and a valve controlling communicationbetween the last mentioned chamber and the hot water side of saidcasing, the last mentioned valve being operable by said piston.

6. The combination, with a water heater, of a valve casing communicatingtherewith; a piston slidably mounted in said casing; said casing havingan inlet and an outlet for cold water at one side of said piston; saidcasing having an inlet and an outlet for hot water at the opposite sideof said piston; a valve operable by said piston and controllingcommunication between said hot water inlet and outlet; a valve operableby said piston and controlling communication between said cold waterinlet and outlet; a valve controlling the supply of fuel to said heater;and a connection between said fuel valve and cold water valve.

7. The combination, with a Water heater, of a valve casing communicatingtherewith; a piston slidably mounted in said casing; said casing havingan inlet and an outlet for hot water at one side of said piston; saidcasing having an inlet and an outlet for cold water at the opposite sideof said piston; a valve operable by said piston and controllingcommunication between the last mentioned inlet and outlet; a valvecontrolling the supply of fuel to said heater; a lever; a linkconnecting the middle portion of said lever with said cold water valve,one end of said lever being arranged to bear against said fuel valve foropening it; means for supporting the opposite end of said lever andpermitting said opposite end to rise; and means tending to hold saidopposite end down.

8. The combination, with a water heater, of a valve casing; a pistonslidably mounted in said casing; a chamber at one side of said casingarranged to receive hot water from said heater; said casing having anopening from said chamber into said casing at one side of said piston;said casing having an outlet for hot water; a valve controlling the flowof hot water through said opening;

, valve'being arranged to be opened by said piston;'a chamber on saidvalve casing at the opposite side of said piston; said casing having aninlet for cold water at the last mentioned side of said piston, the lastmentioned chamber communicating withsaid heater; said casing having anopening from the last mentioned side. of said casing to said chamber; avalve operable by said piston and controlling the flow of the cold waterthrough said opening; a valve controlling the supply of fuel to'sai dheater; and a connection between the two' last mentioned valves. 7

The combination, with a water heater, of a valve casing; a pistonslidably mounted in said casing; a chamber on said casing at one side ofsaid piston; a thermostat adjacent. said chamber; a head closing saidchamber and one end of said thermostat; said head having a passagecommunicating with 'said. chamber and said thermostat; a pipe connectingthe opposite end of said thermostat with said water heater and adaptedto tion between said chamber and said casing at one side of said piston;means-tending to hold said valve closed, said valve being operable bysaid piston, said casing having a hotwater outlet and a cold water inletleading from opposite sides of said piston, the last mentioned side ofsaid casing communicating with said heater; a valve controlling the flowof cold water from said cas-' ing to said heater; a valve arranged tocontrol the supply of fuel to said heater; and a lost motion connectionbetween the two last mentioned valves adapted to open said fuel valve,said fuel valve being adapted to be closed by said thermostat.

10. The combination with a water heater, of a Water inlet valve afuelvalve; aconnection between said valves; a thermostat communicating withthe outlet from said heater, said thermostat comprising an outer tube,an inner tube, a pair of heads closing the ends of said tubes, saidheads having passages therein communicating with the interior of theouter tube only; an expansion rod movably mounted within said innertube, and extending through an opening in one of said heads; and meansupon which the lower end of said expansion rod rests, said means beingarranged to be operated by the expansion of said rod to close said fuelvalve.

11. The combination with a water heater,

of a valve casing; a piston slidably mounted,

supply of fuel to said heater; a lost motion connection between saidvalves; a chamber on said casing at the opposite side of said piston; apipe connecting the last mentioned chamber with the outlet from saidheater; said casing having a hot water outlet at the last mentioned sideof said piston; a valve controlling communication between the lastmentioned chamber and the casing,- said valve being adapted to be openedby said piston; a coiled spring resisting movement ofsaid piston in thedirection to open said valve; a coiled spring tending to hold said valveclosed; a thermostat communicating at one end with said heater, a headclosing the opposite end of said thermostat and the end of the lastmentioned chamber, said casing having a passageconnecting the interiorof'said chamber with said thermostat, and means operable by theexpansionof said thermostat adapted to close said fuel valve.

12. The combination with a water heater,

of a valve casing communicating therewith;

, a piston slidably mounted in said casing; a

valve connected with said piston and con trolling communication, betweensaid heater and said casing at one side of said piston, said valvehaving a port therethrough; said casing having an inlet forcold water atsaid side of the piston; a valve arrangedtocontrol the supply of fuel tosaid heater; a'lost motion connection between said valves adapted toopen said fuel valve; said casing having an outlet for hot water at theopposite side of said casing; a chamber on said casing adjacent saidoutlet; a valve controlling communication between said chamberiand saidcasing and adapted to be opened by said piston; means tending tohold'said valve closed; adjustable means for limiting the openingmovement of sald valve; a thermostat communicating at one end with saidheater; a head closing-the opposite end of said thermostat and the upperend of said chamber, said head having a passage therein connecting saidchamber with said thermostat; and means positioned between saidthermostat and said fuel valve, said means being arranged to magnify theexpansion of said thermostat and transmit the motion thereof to saidfuel valve for closing the valve. 7

13. The combination with a water heater, of a water inlet valve; a fuelvalve; a rigid frame 'for-saidfuel valve; a connection between saidvalves adapted to open said fuel valve; and a thermostat communicatingwith the outlet from said heater and having one end rigidly mounted onsaid frame, said thermostat comprising an outer tube and an inner tube,said tubes being connected by perforated head members arranged for thetransmission of fluid therethrough and through the outer tube, and anexpansion rod lying loosely within said inner tube, and rod-supportingmeans arranged to communicate motion therefrom to said fuel valve forclosing the latter.

14. The combination with a water heater, of a fuel valve; a water inletvalve; a connection between said valves for operating said fuel valvewhen said water valve is opened; a hot water outlet check valveautomatically opened by'said water inlet valve, said water valvesopening against the normal water pressure; an outlet faucet; and meansoperable by said water pressure for opening said valves when said faucetis open.

15. The combination with a water heater, of a fuel valve; a water inletvalve; a connection between said valves for operating said fuel valve; ahot water outlet valve; and means to automatically open said inlet valveupon the withdrawal of water from said heater, and means for openingsaid outlet valve, said means for opening said outlet valve beingdependent upon the operation of said means for opening said inlet valve.

16. The combination with a water heater, of a valve casing; a pistonslidably mounted in said casing, said casing having an entrance and anexit for cold water at one side of said piston, said casing having anentrance and exit for hot water at the other side of said piston; saidcold water exit and said hot water entrance connected with said waterheater; a valve in each of said connections; said cold water valvehaving a relatively small vent therethrough; means for automaticallyopening said valves upon withdrawal of water through said hot Waterexit; a fuel valve; and operative connection between said fuel valve andsaid cold water valve.

17. The combination with a water heater, of a valve casing; a pistonslidably mounted in said casing, said casing having an en trance and anexit for cold water at one side of said piston, said casing having anentrance and exit for hot water at the other side of said casing, saidcold water exit and said hot water entrance being connected with saidwater heater; a valve in each of said connections; means forautomatically opening said valves upon withdrawal of water through saidhot water exit; a fuel valve; and operative connection between said fuelvalve and said cold water valve.

18. The combination with a water heater,

of a valve casing; a piston in said casing; a thermostat; a head forsaid valve casing and one end of said thermostat provided with acommunicating passage, the oppo site end of said thermostat beingconnected with the heater; an inlet valve controlled. by said piston; avalve arranged to control the supply of fuel to said heater; andconnections between said inlet valve and said fuel valve adapted to opensaid fuel valve, said fuel valve being adapted to be closed by saidthermostat.

19. The combination with a water heater, of a fuel valve; a water inletvalve; operating connections for said water inlet valve to said fuelvalve comprising a lever, a support with which said lever has a pin andslot connection; a spring acting on said connection to hold the lever atone end of the slot; a link connecting said lever to said inlet valve;and a thermostat mechanism arranged to act on said valve to close thesame independently of said Water valve connections thereto.

20. The combination with a water heater, of a valve casing; a pistonslidably mounted in said casing; said casing having an entrance and anexit for cold water at one side of said piston, said casing having anentrance and exit for hot water at the other side of said piston; saidcold water exit and said hot water entrance connected with said waterheater; a valve in each of said connections; means for automaticallyopening said valves upon Withdrawal of water through said hot waterexit; a fuel valve; and operative connection between said fuel valve andsaid cold Water valve.

21. The combination with a water heater, of a valve casing; a piston insaid casing; said casing having an entrance and an exit for cold waterat one side of said piston and an entrance and exit for hot water on theother side of said piston; said cold water exit and said hot Waterentrance being connected with said water heater; a cold water valvehaving a relatively small vent therefrom; said piston beingautomatically moved to open the water inlet valve on the withdrawal ofwater from the hot water exit; a fuel valve; and operable connectionswith said fuel valve and piston.

JOHN E. OSMER. Witnesses:

GEORGE L. CHINDAHL, C. PAUL PARKER.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

